The regular household toasters are conventionally equipped with top bread slots for receiving slices of bread and with means for automatically raising the slices of bread when properly toasted. A substantial amount of heat escapes through the bread slots during toasting, with the result that more than the required amount of energy is spent for toasting the bread. In addition, the time required for toasting the bread is longer than would normally be needed. In view of today's great need for saving energy as much as possible, it would be desirable to try to cut down the energy loss to a minimum, and this would certainly include any energy lost through the use of household appliances.